Guest speakers at the 2018 OHMI Conference

Francesca Christmas

Francesca is Head of Academic Governance at Trinity College London, working in international music assessments and teacher training. Francesca studied as a singer at Trinity College of Music, after which she joined a Community Music Service, working as an instrumental tutor and whole class instrumental teacher. After achieving her PGCE as a secondary music teacher, she became Head of Department in a London secondary school. She later went on to work as animateur and advisor for organisations such as the Royal Opera House and Glyndebourne Opera. She initially joined Trinity College London as part of the government-funded CPD programme for KS2 Music Teachers, and then went on to become Head of Teacher Development, before moving to her current Lead Academic role. She has worked with beginner teachers through Trinity’s teacher education programmes, and as a tutor and lecturer on The Open University’s Music PGCE Course. She has contributed to various publications and spoken at a number of conferences worldwide on subjects such as assessment and teacher training. She is currently studying for her PhD in Education with Birmingham City University.

Dr Claire Mera-Nelson

Born in Scotland, at the age of 17 Claire Mera-Nelson travelled to London to study violin and Baroque violin at the Royal College of Music. Known during her time as a student for her willingness to engage with every possible musical opportunity, Claire’s eclectic collaborations across a wide range of musical genres resulted in numerous new commissions, site-specific works, tours, recordings, broadcasts and friendships and, ultimately, a host of professional performing and speaking opportunities. Active as a period instrument performer until 2009, Claire performed extensively in Europe, Australia and Asia as a chamber musician and with ensembles including the European Union Baroque Orchestra, English Touring Opera, the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Florilegium, the Gabrieli Consort, the London Handel Orchestra, and in particular The Sixteen with whom she performed regularly for more than 15 years. Claire is probably best known for her work as a music educator at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, latterly as Director of Music. A champion of teacher education, her key innovations whilst at Trinity Laban included the introduction of ground-breaking educational opportunities for musicians in collaborative and educational practice, in audience engagement and interdisciplinary working, and in the provision of specialist music learning opportunities in the digital domain. In addition to brokering key partnerships with professional music and academic organisations throughout the UK, Claire played a major role in developing Trinity Laban’s international profile both as an active member of Council for the Association of European Conservatoires and a regular participant in international dialogues about music with recent presentations in Croatia, Hungary, Brazil and the USA as well as in the UK.Now Director of Music at Arts Council England – England’s public funding body and development agency for the arts, museums and libraries – Claire is responsible for the development of national strategy and policy for music. Leading a team of music specialists based around the country, she advocates for outstanding music and music making, championing innovative work across the full spectrum of music and music education.

Ciarán O’Donnell

Ciarán O’Donnell was born in Derry City, Northern Ireland in 1981 and began playing the clarinet and saxophone at the age of ten and eleven respectively. He studied music at Queen’s University, Belfast, where he graduated with first-class honours. He was subsequently awarded a scholarship for further study at Birmingham Conservatoire, where he completed a postgraduate diploma with distinction and was awarded the Conservatoire’s post graduate prize 2003. He joined Birmingham Music Service in 2005 as a woodwind teacher, teaching successfully in a variety of Birmingham Schools.Ciarán held the post as Head of Woodwind at Birmingham Music Service from 2009. In January 2014 he was appointed as the Head of Music Service. He is the nominated regional representative for the West Midlands Music Mark group, where he continues support the collaborative work of the 14 Music Services of the West Midlands. In June 2013, he was awarded honorary membership of Birmingham Conservatoire, for his innovative partnership work in the field of Music Education.

Maarten Visser

Maarten Visser was born in 1959 in Amsterdam into a family of artists and craftsmen. In 1983 he graduated from the Newark Technical College Woodwind making course. Three years later he started his own business, which still exists today. After starting his business, Maarten sought contact with Dutch makers who were experimenting with adaptive musical instruments. The SWAM (Foundation Workgroup Adapted Musical instruments) was already active. It consisted of students medical engineering and music therapists. They asked Maarten to do a first adaptation. After that, the Swam required Maarten to make all their adapted woodwind instruments. Ever since, Maarten has made adaptive recorders, flutes, saxophones and other instruments. Also ergonomic flutes have become an area of specialisation. His instruments are being played worldwide. Maarten works in the former shipyard of NDSM in Amsterdam, Netherlands.

Bridget Whyte

Bridget was appointed CEO of Music Mark in July 2017 after having worked as a consultant in music education for over 15 years. She started her career working for the Arts Council in the South East before moving to London to work for the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment and the Royal Academy of Music. In 1995 she went freelance and apart from a brief return to employment from‘97 to ‘99 – as Administrator at Surrey Arts – she worked as a consultant for over 20 years prior to taking up this role. Clients included Youth Music, various music services and hubs, and she worked for the Music Manifesto and subsequently the Department for Education to set up and support the National Singing Programme – Sing Up.More recently she was an Associate Lecturer in the Music Department at Surrey University for four years and managed MusicNet East for a year covering for the manager whilst they were on sick leave. Her last key freelance role was as Strategic Advisor for the British Council’s World Voice Programme, setting up singing programmes in over 20 countries around the globe.

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